Tar River at Tarboro
Flood levels
Official flood levels at this gauge: action stage begins at 17.0 ft; minor flooding begins at 19.0 ft; moderate flooding begins at 24.0 ft; major flooding begins at 32.0 ft.
| Action stage | 17.0 ft |
|---|---|
| Minor flooding | 19.0 ft |
| Moderate flooding | 24.0 ft |
| Major flooding | 32.0 ft |
Highest recorded crests
- 41.5 ft on Sep 19, 1999 (historic crest)
- 36.3 ft on Oct 13, 2016 (historic crest)
- 34.0 ft on Jul 27, 1919 (historic crest)
- 33.5 ft on Oct 4, 1924 (historic crest)
What the water does
National Weather Service impact statements for this gauge, in the Weather Service's own words.
| 17.0 ft | The river is at bankfull. |
|---|---|
| 19.0 ft | Minor flooding begins. The Riverside Park and River Road at the US64 bridge flood. |
| 20.0 ft | Lowland flooding begins south of Daniel Street in east Tarboro. |
| 24.0 ft | Moderate flooding begins. River Road in Tarboro is underwater and flooding begins on east Wilson and St David Streets. |
| 32.0 ft | Major flooding begins. Baker and St James Street begin to flood. |
| 33.6 ft | This is the elevation of the railroad bed which cuts through the Princeville levee. The emergency gate must be manually installed to prevent water from flowing into the town of Princeville. |
| 34.6 ft | Water reaches the base of the Princeville levee. |
| 37.0 ft | Failure may be expected at the Princeville levee and flooding begins in the town of Princeville. There is also considerable street flooding in Tarboro, including Daniels, Baker, St James, and Granville streets. |
| 38.6 ft | This is the highest elevation of the Princeville levee. Flooding becomes widespread in Princeville. The traffic circle in Tarboro on US64 at the bridge over the Tar river is flooded. Flooding begins on Albemarle Avenue and St Andrews Street. |
Forecast office: NWS Raleigh · River Forecast Center: Southeast River Forecast Center.
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Nearby stations and gauges
- Deep Creek at Dickens Rd NWS gauge · 7.1 mi
- Tar River at NC97 In Rocky Mount NWS gauge · 14.8 mi
- Tar River at US301 Bypass at Rocky Mount NWS gauge · 16.8 mi
- Grindle Creek near Stokes NWS gauge · 17.3 mi
- Johnsons Mill Run near Greenville NWS gauge · 17.8 mi
- Tar River at Rock Springs NWS gauge · 18.3 mi